How to Anchor a Dishwasher to the Side of Cabinets

Anchors make dishwashers safe.

Anchors prevent dishwashers from tipping forward onto the floor whenever you pull the bottom dish rack out onto the door. Dishwashers are typically top mounted to the underside of a countertop. Granite and other stone countertops, such as marble, are difficult to drill into and can crack, requiring the dishwasher to be side-mounted to adjacent cabinets. A dishwasher is anchored with mounting brackets that attach to the top corners of the unit to keeps the unit securely in place.

1

Measure the height of your cabinet opening, from the floor to the bottom of the counter where the dishwasher is to be installed. The height will determine the position of the screw holes of the mounting brackets.

2

Insert the side mount brackets into the bracket slots located on the top front corners of the dishwasher. Position the screw holes according to the height of the cabinet opening. If your cabinet opening is 34 1/8 inch to 35 inches in height, install the mounting brackets with the screw holes facing up. If your cabinet opening measures 34 inches to 34 1/8 inches, install the mounting brackets with the screw holes facing down.

3

Gently slide the dishwasher back into the cabinet opening until the tub flange is three quarters of an inch back from the front edge of the cabinets.

4

Open the door of the dishwasher. Hold a carpenter's level under the top of the tub flange to check if it is level. Place the carpenter's level on the open door to check to see if it is level. If it is not, use a wrench to turn the foot levelers clockwise or counterclockwise, as needed, to adjust the dishwasher to make it level and leave a 5/16-inch space beneath the countertop and top of the dishwasher.

5

Drill pilot holes through the screw holes of the mounting brackets into the side of the cabinet. Drive the screws into the cabinet side with the drill or an electric screwdriver to secure the mounting brackets and hold the dishwasher in place.

Things You Will Need

Measuring tape

Carpenter's level

Wrench

Drill with No. 5 drill bit and screwdriver tip

Tip

A helper can make dishwasher installation faster, as an extra pair of eyes can catch things quicker than if you were just installing it on your own.

Warning

Dishwashers need anchoring to prevent them from tipping onto the floor and causing physical injury. If you can't anchor the dishwasher to the underside of the counter and the manufacturer didn't provide side mount brackets, you will need to purchase them.